ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — An Albuquerque judge on Monday ordered the clerk of New Mexico's most populous county to join two other counties in the state in issuing marriage licenses for gay and lesbian couples.

The order from State District Judge Alan Malott came in a case involving a lesbian couple who sought an emergency ruling because one of them is dying.

In an unexpected turn, the couple was able to get married Friday after a judge in a separate case ordered the Santa Fe clerk to issue same-sex licenses. Also last week, the clerk of Dona Ana County in southern New Mexico decided on his own to recognize same-sex marriage.

Malott said New Mexico's constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

Earlier Monday, Bernalillo County Clerk Maggie Toulouse Oliver said she had 1,000 licenses printed in case Malott ordered her to issue licenses for same-sex marriages.

The hearing originally was scheduled on an emergency motion to force the county to issue a marriage license to Jen Roper, who is dying of cancer, and Angelique Neuman because of Roper's cancer.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama bestowed the Medal of Honor on Army Staff Sgt. Ty Carter on Monday, saluting the veteran of the war in Afghanistan as "the essence of true heroism."

Carter risked his life to save an injured soldier and to resupply ammunition to his comrades during intense fighting in a remote mountain outpost four years ago.

"As these soldiers and families will tell you, they're a family forged in battle, and loss, and love," Obama said as Carter stood at his side and members of his unit watched in the White House East Room.

The Oct. 3, 2009, battle occurred while Carter was stationed at Command Outpost Keating. U.S. troops were vastly outnumbered by 400 Taliban fighters.

In February, Obama bestowed the Medal of Honor on another survivor of that firefight, former Staff Sgt. Clinton Romesha.

It was the first time since the Vietnam War that two survivors of the same battle were presented with the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military honor.

Eight soldiers died in the battle. Carter killed Afghan fighters, rendered first aid and saved a soldier's life.